Kolisi sends a lightning bolt through South Africa as he takes the armband
EVEN Archbishop Desmond Tutu has had his say on South Africa’s new black captain.
‘It makes us walk very tall,’ he said, reacting to the news that Siya Kolisi will lead out the Springboks against England. Having grown up in a ghetto shack without his parents, Kolisi will play his first game as the country’s first non-white skipper next week. His appointment has sent a lightning bolt throughout the racist quarters of post-apartheid South Africa, where it is commonplace to refer to black players as ‘quotas’.
As recently as last month, Ashwin Willemse — South Africa’s only black player at the 2003 World Cup — walked off a live SuperSport broadcast as tensions grew with his white colleagues.
Kolisi’s appointment was not intended as a political powerplay but there is hope that it will help galvanise South African rugby. The Springboks have won just eight of their last 21 Tests although, with Kolisi as captain, they cannot use a lack of inspiration for an excuse. Growing up in the Zwide township in the Eastern Cape, Kolisi was raised by his grandparents and survived on jam sandwiches that were served by the local school at break time.
His mother, Phakama, was only 16 when she gave birth and his father, Fezakele, moved away. He made a bed out of sofa pillows on his grandparents’ floor and began playing rugby for the local African Bombers.
Tragedy struck when his grandmother collapsed and died in his arms but, aged eight, he was rescued. Despite barely speaking a word of English, he was offered a rugby scholarship at Grey College — the same school as Mike Catt — and impressed on a series of local and national trials. ‘I’ll never forget my trial match,’ said Kolisi. ‘I was playing in boxers because I didn’t have proper rugby shorts.’
Most weekends were spent playing rugby, becoming childhood friends with Nizaam Carr, who has also become a Springbok.
‘We probably clicked because we are from similar backgrounds,’ Carr told The Mail on Sunday.
‘No one from the area that Siya grew up in would expect to one day become Springbok captain. He has overcome his challenges; crime and poverty. It’s easy to fall prey to things in the community.
‘Drugs are easy to access, people are murdered, crime happens in front of your eyes. Siya said to himself that he had a dream and he protected it. He gives hope. I would take him to war and back with me.’
While still at school, Kolisi discovered that he had two younger half siblings on a fleeting weekend visit to his mother. But when his mother suddenly passed away, they both vanished into the untraceable records of social services.
After years of searching, he tracked them down and, aged 23, became their legal guardian with his wife Rachel. From thereon in he went from strength to strength, representing the Stormers, South Africa and this week becoming their leader.
Bryan Habana has been the highest profile black Springbok over the past decade but, now the legendary winger has retired, Kolisi has a chance to write an even greater story.
‘He is an inspiration,’ said Habana. ‘Siya becoming captain is a massive moment for South African rugby and South African history. We’ve waited a very long time for it.
‘We have a very unique history that no other rugby playing country in the world has to deal with.
‘Unfortunately, with the Ashwin Willemse incident on SuperSport, we have seen over the last few weeks that there is possibly still a very big divide in terms of where we are as a country.’
Kolisi’s appointment could help with the dwindling crowds in South Africa and there is also hope that the return of Europe-based players will help Kolisi enjoy a strong run of results.
Habana added: ‘Rugby brings our country together and the administration, players, supporters, media need to help the Springboks become a powerhouse again.’